BOD are very pleased and proud to announce that we now offer bodhráns from Renegade Rhythms, hand made by Mog here in England.

If you have been around the folk scene any time the past 30 years or so, you almost certainly have seen and heard Renegade Rhythms’ fantastic hand made traditional bodhráns in the hands of top drummers including John Joe Kelly (Flook), Dave Pegg (Fairport Convention), Gino Lupari (Four Men and A Dog), Celtica, Steafan Hannigan (Band of Hope, Sin É Lammas), Mat Fox (Barely Works), Clann McPeake, Celtarabia, La Musgana, Porterhouse, Junction, Aimée Leonard (Anam), Waulk Electrik, Mike Harding, Seikou Keita, Edward (II), Tommy Hayes and Lisa Gallant (Slainte Mhath).

Mog, the maker of these fabulous bodhráns, is himself an extraordinary player, who teaches bodhrán workshops and even teaches others how to make their own drums. His CD, Barranco del Burro, is one of our picks for drumming inspiration, and is available in our shop.

Individually hand made in his workshop in rural England, Mog’s drums feature natural goat skins selected for their weight, durability, appearance and tonal qualities. The skins are not taped, allowing the full play of sound and vibrations across the skin. The drums are fitted with a light and durable tuning system, easily adjusted with an Allen key.

All drum shells are made of two layers of wood, and finished with a clear exterior varnish.  The rims may have a natural wood finish or be covered with his trademark hand painted marbelised paper, so each drum is absolutely one of a kind (and individually numbered). Typically his drums are 4 inches deep and 15 or 17 inches across, but we also have one of his 6 inch deep drums, which has a cut out on one side to allow easier access to the back of the skin whilst playing.

We have 8 drums in stock (at the moment I am posting this!) and each one is unique. Once it is sold, there won’t be a duplicate. From left to right in the photo below, by unique ID number, 658, 670, 659, 663, 668, 667, 662, 671.

John’s own first bodhrán back in the 90’s was a Renegade Rhythms which he plays to this day.  He bought it second hand from a friend, and then contacted Mog for lessons. The rest is history, as far as John’s love for the bodhrán and music making, and selling Mog’s drums though our website just brings the story full circle.

It was a real pleasure to visit Mog once more to see his current stock and pick out the first eight drums to be featured in the BOD shop.

Check out the Renegade Rhythms shop to see all the drums now in stock.

More About Mog

Mog himself has played for many bands, taking the traditional bodhrán in many untraditional directions, including Renegade (folk), Tapas (Flemenco quartet), the Serendipity Orchestra, Celtarabia (Arabian trance fusion), Big Jumper (modern folk), his own Toggy Mess, and duo Mog & Me, which he describes as “high energy up-tempo Thrash Folk.”

With luck, you might still catch Mog this summer, at Folk In a Field 30 Jun to 2 July in Norfolk.  All three days of the festival Mog will be running free bodhrán workshops to help you get to grips with stick technique, rhythm and tempos. On Sunday he will be on the Main Stage as part of duo “Mog and Me.” Give a listen to their taster video.

We love Mog’s music and his drums, and we are sure you will too.